The Blind Beast of Merikston or Snake bit
by Draconicwriter20
Summary: Modern day more realistic re-telling of beauty and the beast. Main characters are genderbent from what we are know in other beauty and the beast fairy tales. Not related to the movie or book of the same name just a simple beauty and the beast styled story.
1. Prologue

**EDITOR'S NOTE** : Still working on the kinks of this story, haven't fully decided on the title and there probably will be some grammar issues as that is not my strength. However, I would love feedback I've got most of the story done and what is here is what I feel currently comfortable with.

 **Prologue**

The sound of gates creaking disturbed the tranquil night ambiance. A girl in her late-teens or early-twenties cautiously left the iron gates that led to a wooded road. It took her some time before she could get out to the main road. The woodland path was long and dark; the moonbeams snaked through the jagged holes spearing the trees in the hollow.

Finally at the main road she glanced quickly around to make sure no cars were coming. She darted across the road to the sidewalk that was waiting for her. The sidewalk would take her to town. As she walked on by, she passed the town's 'Welcome' sign. She glanced at it briskly with a hateful glare.

'Welcome to Merikston!' It read. She kicked the sign, slightly agitated. She had come from her house, which was still considered a part of Merikston. _Putting the sign here was on purpose_ she thought.

"To keep the monsters out." She uttered darkly. She was unaware of how much her mind played games with her.

She continued on her quest, the moon was the only light guiding her down the path to downtown. Her clothes were dark, tinted in navy and black. She knew doing this could, god forbid, get her hit by a car. _It doesn't matter what will happen to me…_ she reflected seemingly content with the outcome of such an incident _._ Continuing on her way, she listened carefully to the environment and concentrated on her footsteps, making sure to avoid any bad company, and any trippable slants in the sidewalk. She thought smugly of the victory she'd gain if anyone dare attempt to lay a finger on her _. Truly it would be_ **their** _loss…_ she thought impudently. Alternatively they would win, in which case it was good being alive I suppose….Her mind went on. A short time passed till she reached town. It wasn't very late into the night, but many shop owners had retired for the evening. Not carrying her phone or wearing a watch she estimated it was around nine at night with the lack of activity. Yet, the downtown area was still churning with people, mostly young people. She sneered when she saw them, hate and jealousy poisoning her mind a thick cloud of deceit. Luckily her solemn behavior and dark clothing choices allowed her to stay in their blind spots. She sneaked down the sidewalk that was downtown passing many open and closed shops. Her stomach churned when she passed people. _Don't look at them, look away – keep moving…_ her mind cautioned her. She just had to cross the street in order to continue her venture downtown. Then her salvation was right there.

She rushed down the path and ran across the road ignoring anyone she passed. She had forgotten how many people were out at night. Stopping when she got to the door of the bookstore, she caught her breath and tried to put her head on straight. She glanced across the road and saw the local pizza parlor. It, of course, was still open. Teenagers hung in and around the building, sitting and eating. Or hung outside of it in the pizza parlor's outdoor tables, gossiping or swooning over god knows what. They chattered and socialized like a bunch of marmosets. She looked away quickly, struck with fear and disgust.

She took a deep breath as it was beginning to feel as if some unknown entity was strangling her, _They see you, they are looking at you, pointing at you! They are mocking you! Of course they are, you're a freak! You need to be put back in the carnival where you belong, your clothes, your hair, your skin, they see all your flaws! Rightfully so… what are you doing out of your cage?!_

She tried to ignore the voice as it seemed to get louder. She shook her head hoping to shake it out. To no avail. She sighed as she opened the door to the bookstore and calmly walked in. The bookstore owner was in there at the desk reading a newspaper.

He grinned laying down his glasses and putting down his newspaper, "Isn't it a little late to be in a bookstore?"

"Oh, _ha ha._ " She mused sarcastically. "We both know you always stay open this late for the chance I may walk in." She paused "Or one of those miscreants across the street may take interest in something other than their social lives." She said walking into one of the book aisles and settling her gaze on something.

"Now don't be judgmental, It's good to have a social life! Besides sometimes a few do come in – granted mainly for magazines and vampire novels. But still they do." He spoke kindly, she didn't respond but slowly pulled out a book that caught her attention. "If it makes you feel any better there is one boy around your age who comes in once in awhile, he always chooses plant books or some fantasy novel, Like _The Hobbit_. Of course he never buys anything, poor lad he doesn't have much money." The old pudgy man sighed. She continued to stay silent as she returned the book she had pulled out, it wasn't the book she was looking for.

"Well, I suppose that's interesting." She harshly spat while moving about looking for a specific book still. _No really, that_ _ **IS**_ _interesting, no one here goes into the library to read that stuff… It's always stupid angst ridden teenage books, magazines, or maybe cookbooks. The only times people come in here to read REAL literature, is if they need a book for a class or something stupid._ She thought.

"Yes well, since I see him often we always have a chat. He works in the garden store in town. Only makes sense since he reads about plants. Maybe you should think of hiring him as your gardener."

"Ok, sure Norris and I'll curse myself to a lifetime of being awkward in my own home." She sarcastically groaned.

"Well… why would that be?" Norris said naïvely. He didn't mind her tone (he had already put up with it for a while).

She shook her head. "He is around my age; we both know I cannot get along with any young people. I don't want to get along with _their_ kind anymore anyway." She said darkly as she briskly moved to another aisle. It unnerved Norris a bit to hear her speak so distantly from her own age group. "No, like everyone else in the house I want my gardener to be an older adult. It's what I'm comfortable with, and I'm already so tired of even trying to be comfortable with… _them._ " She sneered.

"Oh come now, stop being so negative. You have to let go of the past. Besides this guy is a nice boy and if it makes you feel any better he also likes to draw in his spare time as well. Let us not forget you are still a kid too." She huffed and grabbed a book on the lower level of the shelf she had found suitable. Age was timeless in her head it didn't feel like it had any effect on her. She knew she was young but often acted and felt old. Then she would act young and think young, it was all confusing. She couldn't grasp age anymore in her head. Norris sighed once more, "Look you can't keep yourself away from others your age. It isn't healthy, and I think it would do you some good to have some friends." He tried to persuade.

At this comment her eyes lit up, "Friends!" She roared. "There is no such thing! Friends only exist for those who can't manage life on their own! At least for the meek and weak minded. I for one do not like being lied to and being back stabbed! Besides I don't care about those people, in fact I don't see why half the time I should care about anyone!"

"Well, I consider you my friend." Norris said calmly trying to get through to her.

"You do, do you? How do you know the money I give you for this isn't fake money I made?" She said as she waved the book she just found for emphasis. "How do you know one day I won't betray you? Maybe I'm the only one who gets this, but I'll mention it for your benefit. Every being is capable of good and evil. People are capable of great good and great evil. That means, I myself am capable of doing the worst things possible to you in any form I wish! Why would you dare trust someone who has nothing holding them back from hurting you?!"

Norris stood silent for a moment, but undeterred by her anger he calmly spoke again. "That is true, but I **KNOW** you won't do anything to me." He calmly retorted

"Oh yeah? And how do you know exactly?" She 'smartly' stated as she rested the book on the desk while looking at him straight in the eyes. She arched over the desk so her glare was only inches from his face. She was challenging him.

Norris took a deep breath and gently said "Because I know you, I've known you for a long time. I've seen the goodness you're capable of and I know you can do harm as well. Though that doesn't scare me all people on god's green earth are like that. I know you respect me, as I am one of the few who haven't let you down. I know your moral compass wouldn't allow you to do any one single action to harm me in anyway. You believe that if you did do that, that would give me permission to hurt you back. I trust you, and somewhere deep down I know you trust me."

She was quiet, the agitation faded away from her face. Only the look of complex thought. She sighed. She didn't say anything in response knowing he was right. Norris knew he had won.

"Just, tell me what I owe you for the book." She dejectedly uttered.  
Norris put on his glasses and looked at the book. "$15.95" He said and turned over the book to get a look at the title. " _The Picture of Dorian Grey_ , really?" He mentioned while scanning it.

"Yes really, it intrigued me when I heard about it. It also makes me happy I don't have a giant picture of myself." She entertained while handing him the money. "My ugliness isn't shown in a dumb painting." She abruptly stated. "Only anything that shows a reflection." She passive aggressively stated. "Mirrors, bodies of water, and the worst of all the reflection of myself in people's eyes… at least I'm not as daft as _Faust_ or _Dorian_ for that matter to bring this upon myself."

Norris simply wiped his face with his hand. It seemed like she always backed him into a corner with these situations. _You're not deformed, not really. I wish you could see that._ Norris pled in his thoughts. "I really hope someday soon you will wake up and not think that. I wish you could just try being more positive." Norris said solemnly as he put the book in a plastic bag.

"From your mouth to god's ears. I may not seem it Norris but you gotta realize I am as monstrous as any of those characters, and everyone knows it. It wouldn't matter the masks, the makeup, the clothes, anything." She took her change and leaned closer. "You can't ever hide who you truly are, and what you truly are. You can't hide it even if you want to." She said in a low serious tone. "Nothing can free you from a curse that was bestowed on you from an 'oh so kind god'." She growled.

Norris still trying to stay optimistic retorted "Whatever you believe yourself to be, a psychic you are not. You don't know what is in your future. I still know the kind of person you are, the real you under all of that negativity."

"You mean ugliness." She interrupted

Norris didn't respond to that comment. "And a person like you can't hide in the shadows forever even if you wanted to. Eventually the light will find you. Almost how in Antarctica they have months of darkness, but the sun does come."

She didn't respond. _Why must he always plant a seed of hope in my mind where there is none. Perhaps I shouldn't be so harsh on the man, he does after all wear glasses. Not to mention he is getting up there in years... Maybe just the fact he has known me for so long and hasn't darted away means he just doesn't understand. He might be just simple minded._ She tried to reason in her head.

"I'll see you whenever Norris, maybe next week."

"You know where to find me." He said with a gentle smile. He secretly wondered how much longer this game would go on. Where she only showed up in public at night. For him it was hard to see a loved one suffer like she. However, he wasn't a family member, just a friend of the family and had no right to do anything. Now even more so since she was a young nodded said her goodbyes and left the store.

It was later now; it definitely seemed darker there were fewer kids out, but kids still. The ones that stayed out later concerned her. They were older, and could be potential threats. Also because many adults were home. She didn't dare look across the street but darted on her path home, not daring to look back, not even daring to listen to what they were saying. _Don't look, don't hear, they might hurt you. Keep moving! Keep moving! Away, away from harm!_ Said the voice in her mind. Soon she was quite a ways from the downtown lights and slipped into the shadows on the now 'safe' part of the journey home. Like a ghost, she had vanished in the night. Only the slight sound of the rustling of the plastic bag that held her book made any noise.


	2. Chapter 1

**Edit: This is still a work in progress. Grammar might still suck fyi. Please give me feedback :D**

 **Chapter 1**

The rain crashed to the earth from the war in the heavens. The droplets hit the surface like bullets and it felt like burning cold shrapnel. A young man in his early twenties ran as fast as he could to the 'Garden of Eden' shop. His feet pounded the street as he made his way through the tempest. He wasn't running fast just because of the hateful weather that rained upon him, but he was bordering on being late.

In the distance, he could see the shop all lit up, distinguished from other shops around it due to the giant neon rose light sitting on top of the building. With a leap and a bound, he flew through the door and made a beeline to the employee room in the back of the store to punch in. He made it by less than a minute. Relieved he hung his soaking jacket on the coat rack. For a minute, he stood there panting cursing himself for ignoring the alarm clock. His sleep had been broken for a while; still he believed that was no excuse.

He made his way to the back of the lounge where all the branded aprons hung. He searched for the one that bore his name tag and slipped it on. Just as he was fashioning the back of the apron on someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Damn Blake you're positively soaking! Did you take a shower with your clothes on?" She joked. The person speaking to him was his boss.

"Ha-ha-ha…" Blake said mockingly while making a sarcastic face. "Real funny Tabitha, I'm not sure if you noticed, but it's raining cats and dogs outside." He said coyly while he went to set his lunch box on the plastic table in the room.

"Oh come on, I'm just trying to have some fun. Work has been slow today, and to be honest, I need to keep myself entertained somehow." She said nudging his arm. He smiled slightly and walked out into the 'store' area where all the flowers were.

The store was a good size and had many flowers, as well as regular plants like small little bushes, pear tree saplings, and Japanese maple trees. The basic shrubbery. He grabbed the watering can and went to give all the plants their daily drink, while Tabitha went behind the counter to fidget with a pen. As he was tending the plants, he realized the store was excessively quiet.

"Hey, Tabitha where is Jack and Sarah?" He questioned as he went to go put the watering can away.

Tabitha shrugged, "I don't know… they both called in sick and since neither of them had been sick in forever I decided to let them have their day off." She said in an almost uninterested way. She grabbed a nail filer from her red hair that was in a bun and began giving herself a manicure.

"I guess that would make sense since the weather is so crappy." He said as he was carrying a heavy bag of topsoil . "Though I don't think that's right unless they are really sick." He said dropping the heavy bag next to a sapling; then he filled the pot where the sapling abided with fresh topsoil.

"See and that's the reason why you are the most trusted employee." Tabitha mentioned as she gestured her nail filer toward him. "Honestly for all the time I've known you, you can't do any wrong, at least in the workplace." She said as she went back to focusing her attention to her nails. "You know, it's ok not being a saint all the time. When I say that I don't mean, 'go rob a bank.' It's ok to take a day off just because the weather sucks. Hell but I am not saying you do it right this second." She said now abandoning the nail file for a makeup stick and handheld mirror. The entire time talking but paying all of her attention to applying purple makeup above her eyelids.

"I know, I know, but it just doesn't sit right with me. I just can't bring myself to do a dishonest act." He sighed as he grabbed the shears and trimmed the branches on the sapling. He realized how dumb that sounded but it was the truth.

"You're way too good, hun." She paused, wiping off some accidental makeup that fell on her cheek. "Ya know back in my day when I was your age I was always getting into trouble. That never landed me with a great crowd." She sighed reflecting on her glory days which were years ago. "Ya know with that attitude, I'm surprised you haven't found yourself a girl yet." She jested still applying peacock purple eyeliner.

In response, he chuckled a bit. "Yeah, ok, sure. Who wants to date a plant nerd? It was only a fluke that Seymour in _Little Shop of Horrors_ got a girlfriend. That's only because the plant **ate** her first boyfriend."

"Well, since you're making references to _Little Shop of Horrors_ , you should have knowledge of musicals: girls like musicals." She bluntly said while now applying red lipstick.

"Yeah or get a giant alien blood eating plant. Girls dig that apparently." He sarcastically said as he pruned the flowers.

"Well, you got a sense of humor. Girls like that too." She chuckled a bit.

"Oh, stop pushing it. The only reason I don't have girlfriend is because I just haven't found anyone who.. ya know I had a connection with, I haven't found anyone special. Plus I am busy with work and trying to just survive." He shrugged as he pulled a weed from one of the pots.

"Oh, so we have a real gentleman in our midst? Praise to thee!" She taunted in a friendly way. "Anyway, to get off this _oh so interesting subject,_ I have a big job for you." She said flipping through a clothing magazine, her green eyes darting at different pages. At this, he finished grooming the plants and made his way to the front desk where she had been grooming herself.

"That big house on the edge of town, you know that really obscene house that's all dark and hidden in the forested area? Turns out people exist there and are not ghosts, who knew?" she joked.

He couldn't help but smirk at this, "Yeah?"

"Well, whoever lives there has requested our services. They need a gardener to tend to their plants on their property. Apparently, they have some cool plants. Since this job requires a lot of care 24/7, they even offered to supply room and board for whoever accepts the job." She paused flipping a page. "I figured you are the most trusted employee, you have more experience in caring for rare plants, and it's not like you're doing anything major right now you might like the position. It might be a good experience and help take your mind off of things…" She paused grabbing a shoe magazine. "Also they offered to pay well, so you would be paid by them and not by me. If I were you, I'd take the job. Business here is slow, and I wish I could give you more because you deserve it but this business just does not allow it. I'd like to see ya stop struggling for awhile." She said now gazing longingly at a pair of boots in the magazine.

As she was doing so, she wondered how such a boy could fall on unhappy circumstances. He is a regular sized man with straight shiny dark brown hair, beautiful 'soft' hazel eyes, a wonderful complexion, and a good body build (even though he didn't work out all the time.) He was white skinned? but it always seemed like he had a light tan. It looked like he came from Greece or somewhere in the mediterranean. She knew as well as everyone else who met him that he was beautiful to look at. Yet he was blind to it, he only really acknowledged his inner beauty. _None was a lie,_ Tabitha thought. He was kind and generous, he often chatted to most people he met in the store. He was generally a nice man. _How? How could someone so good be punished with such unfortunate events?_ She questioned herself in thought now glancing at a pair of designer sandals in the magazine.

Blake was silent. Tabitha took a breath and spoke again while turning a page in the magazine. "Look surg, you don't have to take it if you don't want to. I could always send Jack or Sarah. Hell, I could get a transfer from another store. It's up to you." She finished, now ripping out a coupon.

He thought for a moment. In one hand, his life can be changed in an instant he doesn't know anyone and it could end up badly. On the other, it might be exciting, and he might be able to earn enough money to go to college. That's what his mom would've wanted.

"I'll do it!" He said vehemently while accidentally flipping some top soil that was stuck to his apron to the floor.

"Great, I'll notify them. Get packing because your job is starting after tomorrow. Also, make sure you're clean while you're there. I don't wanna hear you've been leaving topsoil all over the place."

He blushed a bit seeing the pile of dirt on the floor. He didn't realize dirt was stuck to his apron. He sighed and went to get the mop, but secretly inside he was nearly jumping out of his skin with glee.


End file.
